Taoiseach Micheál Martin is participating in Expo 25 in Osaka, Japan—a global showcase of innovative technology and industry anticipated to draw 28 million visitors over a six-month period.
With 150 countries taking part, Ireland’s multi-million euro pavilion centers on the theme “Creativity Connects People.”
This comes after the Taoiseach and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba engaged in discussions in Tokyo to explore enhancing trade relations, bilateral ties, and cybersecurity.
The overarching theme of Expo 25 is “Designing Future Society for Our Lives.”
Ireland’s multi-million euro pavilion highlights the theme ‘Creativity Connects People’.
World exhibitions have a history dating back to 1851, showcasing the first telephone demonstration, the inaugural live TV broadcast, and inspiring iconic structures like the Eiffel Tower.
Expo 25 is hosted on a dedicated 155-hectare site on Yumeshima, an artificial island in Osaka Bay.
The entire exhibition is encircled by an elevated circular walkway known as the Grand Roof, which houses three districts within its perimeter.
Ireland’s pavilion is situated in the Empowering Lives section, featuring various exhibits demonstrating how creativity can empower individuals to address global issues.
The overarching theme of Expo 25 is ‘Designing Future Society for Our Lives’.
Irish involvement in Expo 25 has exceeded €16 million over the last three years, with nearly €7 million earmarked for the pavilion itself.
Tánaiste Simon Harris recently informed the Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs that participating in Expo 25 offers “an excellent platform for public diplomacy for Ireland, given that Ireland remains relatively unknown to many in the broader Japanese audience.”
The design of the Irish pavilion, located near the main entrance, incorporates Irish timber alongside Japanese materials, manifesting as an abstract Celtic spiral, or triskele, an ancient Irish symbol tracing back to Neolithic times and found at sacred sites like Newgrange.
The pavilion’s exterior features Irish-grown Douglas fir timber, supplied by Coillte, which the architects from the Office of Public Works claim mirrors the wood used in the adjacent Grand Roof, establishing a link between Irish and Japanese craftsmanship.
Adjacent to the pavilion is a monumental sculpture conceived by Joseph Walsh, set within a landscape designed by Hiroyuki Tsujii, the custodian of the Karasaki Pine Tree.
Inside the VIP space of the pavilion, located on the first floor, specially framed prints from the ‘Kwaidan Project’ are displayed.
These prints and photographs represent a collaboration between 40 Japanese and Irish artists, inspired by Lafcadio Hearn’s renowned work ‘Kwaidan’.
